I don’t think I’ve done a review on Ashley Weaver and Amory Ames yet, which has been a misstep on my part – although, in my defense, I only just stumbled upon her series. This is the third book in the Amory Ames Series, and I’m finding that it’s a pretty easygoing read, similar to Rhys Bowen’s Her Royal Spyness series. Amory’s two previous mysteries are well worth reading, as well, but this series isn’t quite as important to read in succession, unless you want to follow the Amory-and-Milo storyline pretty closely. So far there haven’t been any recurring acquaintances that pop up with a backstory.
In this novel, Amory gets a request from her cousin, Laurel, for her and Milo to come stay at a house party that Laurel is attending. She fears that something is going to go wrong there, and, knowing Amory’s penchant for mysteries, has asked her to come and observe. Before too long; however, the worst occurs: the murder of an author/socialite who has announced that she is to write a second expose about the group in the house party. Her first book, you see, drew startling conclusions about the death of a man attending a party at this house a few years ago – with the exact same guests.
Amory is, perhaps, one of the more unusual lady society detectives I’ve read about lately. Of course, all of my detectresses are wealthy, and Amory is no exception. She is also very beautiful, and many men comment on her pleasant appearance whenever they see her. She thinks that her husband, Milo, is the most dashing man on the planet, and she may not be wrong, given that women seem to be uncannily drawn to him. What is most unusual about Amory, though, is that her marriage is pretty unsteady.
Throughout the past two books, we’ve seen Amory and Milo fluctuate in their relationship, and in this novel they’ve hit a relatively steady patch, for the moment. It’s interesting that Weaver put this element in her novel as it’s pretty atypical (but totally realistic!!!). In most of the novels I’ve reviewed, spouses are a comfort, or the heroes of the story find love in their journeys and a supportive confidant. For Mrs. Ames, though, such comfort is not found in her husband. I think it’s terribly realistic as it shows that not everything is always as picture-perfect as it seems, and makes Amory feel more like a real person than the goddess she is reported to be.
In a lot of mysteries I read, the problematic relative is usually an estranged brother, badly behaved cousin, or weird aunt – someone who’s removed enough from the central couple to not be too much of a nuisance. It’s rarely the husband himself causing issues via the gossip columns and reported affairs. The fact that Amory and Milo’s relationship is so unstable is an added element of realism to this story, as well as another layer of complication to solving the mysteries that Amory frequently finds herself involved in.